


A Brilliant Christmas Kiss

by Entwinedlove



Series: Twelve Days of Xover Xmas [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: AU - Repealed Statute of Secrecy, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Alternate Universe - Victorian, Anachronistic Thinking, Bucky Barnes/Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers (background), F/M, Fluff, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-21 15:35:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17046260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Entwinedlove/pseuds/Entwinedlove
Summary: At a Christmas party at Stark Tower Hermione finally gets a kiss from her beau.





	A Brilliant Christmas Kiss

"I was wondering, Miss Granger, if you'll accompany me to the upcoming Stark Christmas Party?" Mr Banner asked. His lips were quirked like the knew the answer—and he did, she'd been accepting courtship tokens from him for the last six months—but he still had to ask.

"Thank you, Mr Banner, I'd be delighted to attend the party with you," she said. She smiled as he doffed his hat and headed out of the shop.

"You two," Captain Carter said, rolling her eyes. She stepped beyond the shelves with a small stack of books in her hands and set them on the counter. "You'd think you'd get on with it already. You can't tell me you don't want to. I can see it on your face."

Hermione ducked her head to hide the blush prominent on her cheeks. Yes, she was particularly interested in progressing their relationship. "Mr Banner is a traditionalist, Captain. The few times Stark has implied impropriety, Mr Banner has coloured up more than me. I expect a proposal before anything gets physical."

"Hmm," Peggy hummed. "Seems a shame. You don't strike me as the traditional marriage-before-fun type."

"I never said I was," Hermione responded, though the blush hadn't left her features. She rang up the books for Peggy, who was giving her a knowing smirk, and took the coinage to finish the transaction.

"Well, good luck. Maybe a party is just what you need to push your beau's boundaries a little."

Hermione packaged up Peggy's books and handed them to her. "Thanks. Tell yours that I said hello and I hope they get well soon."

"I will. Bucky, in particular, was already unhappy about his need to stay on the ship. He instructed that I was to ask after your Mr Banner and make sure you were doing well. He's fond of you."

"Then tell him I am well and that I missed seeing him." Hermione was fond of Mr Barnes as well and charmed by his innocent flirting. She waved one last time to Peggy as the other woman left the shop and then relaxed back on her stool.

What was she going to wear to a Christmas party? Thankfully, the party would be a small affair, with invitations limited to only those who lived on the depot, but that didn't make it any less an elaborate affair. She supposed there was the violet dress that Harry had sent along with the autumnal supply dirigible. She could Charm it to a nice festive green and made add some lace details to the hem to modify it just enough to count as new.

* . * . *

A week later, Bruce came down to the shop as dusk was settling to escort her to the centre of the city. The lamp-lighter, Marsha, was out, casting spells at each of the posts to illuminate the street. Hermione waved at her and she curtseyed back.

"You look lovely tonight, Miss Granger," Bruce told her as they strolled up the spiral street.

"Thank you. You look fetching yourself, sir," she said, admiring his vibrant red waistcoat. His top hat was missing its typical goggles but in their place was a wide red ribbon that matched the colour of his waistcoat. They chatted about his work and the newest shipment of books Hermione had ordered until they reached the doors of the tower. Mr Jarvis greeted them and escorted them inside.

The party was like any other, though this time Stark had employed a wizard to animate the quartet so the instruments were playing themselves. Bruce looked particularly intrigued when he first saw them. They paused to watch and listen. "Can just any magical person do that or do they need to be trained like the musicians?"

"Wizards and witches take additional study to learn the musical arts. I believe the spell animates the instruments for the length of the song, with each song requiring a different spell. The conductor must have a repertoire of well-practised spells to produce a well-rounded concert," Hermione answered. She remembered the option of musical classes offered to witches at Dilys Derwent's Home and School for Girls when she resided there before her sponsorship. It was a mix of magical and mundane lessons on violin, piano, and voice for entertainment at dinner parties. She had not been interested.

Bruce asked Hermione to dance and she accepted, enjoying as he twirled her around the dance floor. After the song was over, they mingled with the party-goers. Madam Sprout was particularly chuffed to tell them that Stark had imported a wonderful array of plants for the season and suggested they go out on the porch to see them.

There was a magical dome extending from the veranda roof over the porch and down into the small garden beyond to keep the guests warm from the cold evening air. In large pots decorating the space were beautiful fir trees with shiny tinsel and delicate babbles.

While they were there, admiring the Christmas addition, other guests were joining them. Soon they heard Stark's voice, loud over the soft conversation. "Everyone out here, then? Good, good." He fumbled with a box in his hands near the railing before he opened it enough to work with what was inside. "Merry Christmas from those of us who live in Stark Tower to the rest of Aucterport!" he shouted as he did something inside the box.

All the Christmas trees with their lovely ornaments lit up, decorated with small bulbs of light on strings. It was beautiful and reminded Hermione of the candles the Potters would spell onto their own Christmas trees at home. They didn't twinkle like firelight but with the thousands of glass babbles and shiny tinsel, shifting slightly on one's feet gave them the same effect.

Guests all around them oohed and aahed at the marvellous sight and some of the couples even took the moment to indulge in a kiss. Nothing overly improper but enough to cause Bruce to flush and look away when he noticed. "Would you like to go back inside?" he asked.

"Not yet," she answered. She continued to marvel at the beautiful warm light and colourful decorations. "He said this was a present from those who live here in the tower. Did you help?" She asked, looking back at him. Behind him, she could see many of the other guests heading inside.

"I did. Tony's lady friend has a maid who happens to be a witch and when they visited at the beginning of the month, she decorated the inside of the tower with something similar. Little magical lights that wouldn't burn up the tree. Tony worked to create small versions of the Edison lightbulb and the power source for them while I worked on how to connect them all together." He had a little grin on his face that Hermione had come to recognise as his proud-of-himself smile.

"Well, they're brilliant. Thank you for sharing them with everyone." His smile morphed into one of tenderness and she felt overcome with emotion. "Bruce?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm going to kiss you now."

He blinked like he was flustered. "Miss Gran—"

"Hermione," she corrected softly.

"Hermione," he repeated. He swallowed and looked around. She took the opportunity to lean closer. "I, umm, are you sure? There's no one here—"

"I know," she said. She leaned the rest of the way in and pressed her lips to his. The tension in his shoulders melted. He brought his arms around her to hold her close and gave in to her kiss. When they parted some moments later she whispered, "Happy Christmas, Bruce."


End file.
